This novella is a bit odd in that although they are all tales told by one man, Belkin, they read more like short stories than a full on novella. But they are a great collection of short stories. Oddly, one has a duel as a theme, obviously a rather popular subject in its day. Another is about an elopement that goes wrong due to a snowstorm. Or does it? One about an undertaker whose clients come back to say hello. And yet another about an elopement, this one with a much sadder ending. And finally one about romantic subterfuge which must have had pretty wide popularity given the reference to the Lady-Maid, Akulina in Anton Chekov’s novella The Duel, which I will review in a moment.
The Verdict: I liked this one because it contained five well-plotted, often touching, short stories.
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